Oil-lamp for railway-signals, &amp;c.



WITNESSES PATENTED JAN- a, 1907.

w. H. I. WELSH. OIL LAMP FOR RAILWAY SIGNALS, m

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 4. 1904.

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BNVENTOR mm. \A. 2; MM. Q QvMmS Tn: NORRIS PETERS ca wnsumcmn. n. c.

No. 840,674. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907.

" w. H. I. WBLGH.

QIL LAMP FOR RAILWAY SIGNALS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1904.

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" No. 840,674. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907.

w. H. I. WELOH. OIL LAMP FOR RAIIIWAY SIGNALS, 6w

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1904.

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No. 840,674. PATENTED JAN.8,1907.

- W. H. I. WBLOH.

0IL LAMP FOR RAILWAY SIGNALS, &0

APPLICATION FILED 11mm. I904.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. I. WELOH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSI GNOR TO THE LAMP PATENT OFFICE.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, OF CITY ROAD, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed November 4, 1904. Serial No. 231,396.

tion.

This invention relates to improvements in oil-lamps which are adapted for use with railway semaphore-signals and other lanterns, and has for its objects the simplification of the construction of such lamps, the obtaining of a stron er light in the direction or directions in whic it may be required with a smaller flame than has hitherto been possible, the improvement of the supply of oil to the burning-end of the wick, by which the charring of the wick is revented or reduced, and the time during w 'ch the lamp will remain alight without attention extended. -To effect these objects, the burner is designed to give a small flame, and the light therefrom is irected by specially shaped and disposed lenses in the required direction or directions, the air for combustion being led into the interior of the lamp in such manner that it is distributed therein without directly im inging on the flame, thereby enabling a sma l flame to be used. An auxiliary wick, which may lead to the oil-reservoir or may derive oil from the burner-wick, is coiled around the upper perforated part of the burner-tube and serves to keep the wick cool and prevent or retard charring and, also acting as a storage-chamber, continues to provide oil for combustion when the burner-wick is unable on account of charring to supply the oil required to maintain the light.

The improved lamp is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections taken at right angles to each other. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showin a slightly-modified construction.

The amp is constructed in any suitable shape and comprises at its lower part an oiltank a, from which projects a socket b for the reception of the burner. part c. This part comprises an outer burner-tube d, which fits the socket b, and an inner wick-tube e, which is slotted longitudinally through a part of its len th at e to enable the wick to be adjusted an fed in the usual way by means of the toothed wheelsf and actuating-spindlef.

The upper part of the burner-tube d terminates in a cup d, through which projects the upper art of the wick-tube, which latter is forme with a number of perforations 6 A cap g, the upper end of which terminates in a suitably-shaped burner-piece g, is screwed or otherwise secured on the cu d and in the space between the cap and t e wick-tube is coiled or otherwise disposed a length of cotton wick or other suitable absorbent material h.

This material may be extended downwardly to the oil-tank a through a hole in the cup d, as shown in Fig. 5, in which case the oil-supply to the reservoir constituted by the coiled wick h is inde endent of the burner-wick. By means of tiie auxiliary reservoir of absorbent material oil is drawn either from the main oil-tank or from a low level of the burner-wick to a higher level of the burnerwick at or near the point of combustion.

When the wick h does not itself extend downward to the oil-tank, it is saturated with oil drawn therefrom by the burner-wick, which is in capillary communication with the storage-wick h through the holes 0 in the burner-tube.

A concentrating lens or condenser 'L, preferably of the form shown in the drawings, is arranged in front of the lantern with its axis in line with the flame, and similar lenses may be provided in the back or sides of the lantern.

When the lamp is intended also to illuminate a lateral signal, such as a semaphorearm, or the distinctive signal of a distant si nal-lantern, such as described in the specifi cation to United States Patent No. 631,686, it is provided at one side with a lens adapted to concentrate and direct the light in a vertical plane and form a sector-beam which illuminates the semaphore or the distinctive signal of the lantern.

The preferred form of lens is shown in the drawings and consists, essentially, of a se ment of a cylindrical shell 7c, the axis of whic is horizontal and the curvatures of which give the required focusing effect. In the arrangement shown the inner face of the lens is cylindrical and the outer face has a transverse circular curvature of suitable radius. The lens is shown symmetrically placed with horizontal plane; but this disposition maybe departed from as may be required.

The Walls of the tank a are constructed to project'somewhat beyond the bottom of the tank, and these projections are formed with holes m, which allow the air which enters in the usual way through a hole in the bottom of the casing in which the lamp may be placed to pass outward and upward outside the oil-tank a. The air required for combustionpassesthencethrough holes n in one of the side walls into a chamber, such as 0,'inside the lamp, whence it isallowedto issue through and is distributed around the-flame by means of holes 0 inthe edges or sides of the chamber, thereby preventingany draft or direct impingement of the air on the flame, and thus enablinga smaller flame to be employed.

I claim 1. In oil-lamps, an auxiliary oil-reservoir close to the flame, consisting of absorbent material disposedaround the upper end of the wick-tube and in capillary communica- 'tiOIL with the wickand the main oil-reservoir and forming a parallel path with the main Wick for the'fiow of oil to the burner; substantially as described.

2. In an oil-lamp, a burner-tube perforated at-its upper portion, and an auxiliary suction-wick disposed around the said upper portion of the burner-tube and arranged to draw oil from the main oil-tank and deliver it to the burner-wick; substantially as described.

3. In oil-lamps, a burner comprising a burner-tube and inclosed cup, a wick-tube perforatedvatits upper end and projecting upward through the said cup, and an absorbent-material inclosed in the said cup and in capillary communication with the burnerwick. at different levels thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed-my name to this specification in the presence of 

